Theatre

Set in World War II, “Tearless Honour” is a story that is full of romance, touching scenes of humanity and moments of insight and revelations. It takes place in a time when China was at its most chaotic, with foreign powers vying to take their share, the Japanese invasion, the Civil War between the Nationalists and the Communists, and the all-out war of resistance against the Japanese invasion for eight long years.

Chan Ka-tung, the protagonist, is a rich scion from Sai Kwan, a wealthy region in the west side of old Guangzhou. With encouragement from his scholar-entrepreneur father Chan Chung-nin, he joins the ranks of the resistance and embarks on a thousand-mile journey of migration, battle and refuge, transforming from a prominent and wealthy young man to a destitute refugee. The journey from a privileged life to hellish conditions sees him gradually growing up and maturing: from initial awakening, fervour, struggle and dejection, to contemplation and assimilation.

Having seen separation, death, betrayal, cowardice and destruction, he rediscovers anew the love between man and woman, the love of a family, and the love for one’s country. In the end, when facing another imminent destruction, he makes a crucial decision to continue his struggle.